Jane Seymour, the haunted queen [eBook - NC Digital Library] : Six Tudor Queens Series, Book 3

جین سیمور، سومین همسر هنری هشتم، اغلب در تاریخ به عنوان ملکه‌ای مطیع و کم‌صدای که تنها وارث مذکر پادشاه را به دنیا آورد، شناخته می‌شود. اما در رمان «جین سیمور، ملکهٔ تسخیرشده» (Jane Seymour, the Haunted Queen) از مجموعهٔ «شش همسر تودور» نوشتهٔ آلیسون ویر، این چهرهٔ تاریخی با عمقی تازه و انسانی به تصویر کشیده شده است. این رمان که حاصل پژوهش‌های دقیق تاریخی و توانایی ویر در خلق داستانی گیرا است، داستان زنی را روایت می‌کند که بیش از هر چیز خواهان زندگی در خلوت و آرامش بود، اما سرنوشت او را به مرکز یکی از پرهیاهوترین و خونین‌ترین درباریان تاریخ کشاند.

دربارهٔ کتاب جین سیمور، ملکهٔ تسخیرشده

کتاب «جین سیمور، ملکهٔ تسخیرشده» که در سال ۲۰۱۸ توسط انتشارات بالانتاین بوکس به چاپ رسیده است، سومین جلد از مجموعهٔ شش گانهٔ «شش همسر تودور» به شمار می‌رود. این رمان تاریخی با زاویهٔ دید اول شخص و با تکیه بر اسناد و مدارک معتبر، به روایت زندگی جین سیمور از دوران جوانی تا ملکه‌شدن و مرگ زودهنگامش می‌پردازد. ایدهٔ محوری کتاب بر این استوار است که ترس از سرنوشت همسران پیشین هنری، یعنی کاترین و آن بولین، مهم‌ترین انگیزهٔ رفتارهای جین بوده است. داستان از جایی آغاز می‌شود که جین جوان، آرزوی زندگی رهبانی دارد، اما خانواده‌اش او را به عنوان ندیمه به دربار کاترین آرگون می‌فرستند. او که عاشق کاترین مهربان و مذهبی می‌شود، از رفتار هنری در کنار گذاشتن او و سپس اعدام آن بولین به وحشت می‌افتد. فضای کتاب سرشار از تعلیق و ترس است و خواننده را به خوبی با وحشت حاکم بر دربار و فشار طاقت‌فرسایی که بر دوش جین برای به دنیا آوردن یک پسر قرار داشت، آشنا می‌سازد. شیوهٔ روایت ویر، که تلفیقی است از دقت یک مورخ و توانایی یک داستان‌نویس، شخصیت‌ها را چنان زنده و ملموس به تصویر می‌کشد که مخاطب را تا آخرین صفحه با خود همراه می‌سازد.

دربارهٔ نویسنده

آلیسون ویر (Alison Weir) یکی از مشهورترین و پرفروش‌ترین مورخان و نویسندگان زن بریتانیا است. او که در سال ۱۹۵۱ در لندن به دنیا آمد، از کودکی شیفتهٔ تاریخ به ویژه دورهٔ تودور بود. شهرت او بیش از هر چیز به دلیل نگارش کتاب‌های تاریخی جذاب و دقیق دربارهٔ خانوادهٔ سلطنتی بریتانیا، به ویژه زنان قدرتمند این خاندان است. آلیسون ویر پیش از آنکه نویسنده‌ای تمام‌وقت شود، به عنوان معلم و همچنین مدیر مدرسه‌ای برای کودکان دارای ناتوانی‌های یادگیری فعالیت می‌کرد. حرفهٔ نویسندگی او با کتاب «خانواده‌های سلطنتی بریتانیا» در سال ۱۹۸۹ آغاز شد و از آن زمان تاکنون ده‌ها کتاب غیرداستانی پرفروش و مجموعه‌رمان‌های تحسین‌شده‌ای از جمله مجموعهٔ «شش همسر تودور» منتشر کرده است. ویر به دلیل دقت در پژوهش و توانایی‌اش در روایت تاریخ به زبانی شیرین و قابل‌فهم برای عموم، جوایز و افتخارات متعددی کسب کرده و به عنوان عضو انجمن سلطنتی هنر و حامی افتخاری کاخ‌های سلطنتی تاریخی برگزیده شده است. او هم‌اکنون در ساری انگلستان زندگی می‌کند.

چرا باید جین سیمور، ملکهٔ تسخیرشده را بخوانید؟

• نگاهی نو و عمیق به شخصیت جین سیمور: این کتاب تصویر کلیشه‌ای از جین سیمور به عنوان ملکه‌ای منفعل را به چالش می‌کشد و او را به عنوان زنی با اخلاقیات قوی، عواطف پیچیده و اراده‌ای پنهان به تصویر می‌کشد که در شرایطی سخت برای بقا می‌جنگد.
• تلفیقی ماهرانه از تاریخ و داستان: آلیسون ویر با تکیه بر پژوهش‌های عمیق تاریخی و به کارگیری تخیل، داستانی می‌آفریند که هم از اعتبار تاریخی برخوردار است و هم به مثابه یک رمانی گیرا و احساسی عمل می‌کند.
• فضاسازی بی‌نظیر از دربار پرآشوب هنری هشتم: خواننده در این کتاب به خوبی فضای ترس، دسیسه و قدرت مطلقه‌ای را که بر دربار حاکم بود، حس می‌کند و می‌تواند از چشم یک ندیمه، وقایع عظیم تاریخی را از نزدیک مشاهده کند.
• کاوشی در روانشناسی ترس و بقا: این رمان به خوبی نشان می‌دهد که چگونه ترس از مرگ، می‌تواند سرنوشت یک انسان را تغییر دهد و او را به انجام کارهایی وادار کند که با ذات و آرزوهایش در تضاد است.
• استقبال گسترده از سوی منتقدان و خوانندگان: این کتاب نقدهای درخشانی از منابع معتبر مانند «کرکوس ریویوز» و «پابلیشرز ویکلی» دریافت کرده است و خوانندگان زیادی آن را یک اثر «گیرا و غیرقابل‌کنارگذاشتن» توصیف کرده‌اند.

این کتاب برای چه کسانی مناسب است؟

این کتاب برای طیف وسیعی از علاقه‌مندان به ادبیات داستانی تاریخی انتخابی ایده‌آل است. طرفداران پر و پا قرص دورهٔ تودور و زندگینامهٔ هنری هشتم، با خواندن این کتاب اطلاعات جدید و جذابی دربارهٔ یکی از کم‌شناخته‌شده‌ترین همسران او به دست می‌آورند. همچنین، این رمان برای خوانندگانی که از داستان‌های زن‌محور با محوریت عشق، قدرت، و بقا در شرایط سخت لذت می‌برند، بسیار جذاب خواهد بود. کسانی که از آثار نویسندگانی مانند فیلیپا گرگوری (Philippa Gregory) لذت برده‌اند، به سبک روایی و دقت تاریخی آلیسون ویر نیز علاقه‌مند خواهند شد. در نهایت، این کتاب برای هر دوستدار تاریخ و داستانی که به دنبال روایتی تازه و تأمل‌برانگیز از چهره‌ای آشنا در تاریخ است، یک تجربهٔ خواندنی و غنی به حساب می‌آید.

سوالات متداول

آیا برای درک داستان، خواندن جلدهای قبلی این مجموعه ضروری است؟

اگرچه هر جلد از مجموعهٔ «شش همسر تودور» به طور مستقل روایت می‌شود و بر یک همسر متمرکز است، اما خواندن جلدهای اول (کاترین آرگون) و دوم (آن بولین) می‌تواند به درک بهتر زمینه‌های تاریخی، دسیسه‌های سیاسی و سرنوشت تلخی که بر دوش جین سنگینی می‌کند، کمک شایانی کند. با این حال، خود کتاب به گونه‌ای نوشته شده که خواننده‌ی جدید نیز به راحتی با داستان ارتباط برقرار می‌کند.

آیا این کتاب یک رمان کاملاً تخیلی است یا بر اساس واقعیت تاریخی نوشته شده؟

آلیسون ویر که یک مورخ برجسته است، این رمان را بر اساس پژوهش‌های دقیق و اسناد تاریخی معتبر نگاشته است. او در عین حال که از تخیل خود برای پر کردن خلأهای تاریخی و پرداختن به عواطف شخصیت‌ها استفاده می‌کند، چارچوب اصلی داستان و سرنوشت شخصیت‌ها را وفادارانه بر اساس شواهد تاریخی پیش می‌برد. به همین دلیل، این اثر در زمرهٔ رمان‌های تاریخی دقیق و قابل‌اعتنایی قرار می‌گیرد که هم برای علاقه‌مندان به تاریخ و هم برای دوستداران داستان جذاب است.

چرا عنوان کتاب «ملکهٔ تسخیرشده» برای جین سیمور انتخاب شده است؟

عنوان کتاب به وضعیت روانی جین پس از اعدام آن بولین اشاره دارد. جین که شاهد عینی مرگ وحشتناک ملکهٔ پیشین بوده، با ترسی عمیق و دائمی از سرنوشتی مشابه دست و پنجه نرم می‌کند. او نه تنها توسط خاطرات و وحشت از سرنوشت آن بولین تسخیر شده، بلکه تحت فشار طاقت‌فرسا برای به دنیا آوردن یک پسر و همچنین نقشه‌های جاه‌طلبانهٔ خانواده‌اش برای پیشرفت، گرفتار شده است. این «تسخیر» اشاره‌ای است به این که جین هرگز نمی‌تواند از سایهٔ سرنوشت همسران پیشین خود و انتظارات بیرحمانهٔ پیرامونش رها شود.

A novel of the devout young woman who became the unwilling object of King Henry VIII's ardor - and the mother of his only son.In this third book in the epic Six Tudor Queens series, the acclaimed historian and best-selling author brings new insight to this dramatic story, showing how pure fear for her life determined Jane Seymour's actions.Twenty-five-year-old Jane Seymour wants nothing more than to become a nun. But her ambitious father has forced her to live at court as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon, a fellow Catholic whom she soon comes to love and admire. So Jane is appalled when King Henry shunts Katherine aside in his lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn, but even more so when he takes Anne's life in his rush to wed - Jane herself!Unwilling to marry but terrified to resist Henry's advances for fear she might share Anne's fate, and propelled by her family, Jane becomes queen of England a mere 10 days after Anne's execution. She knows she must produce a male heir without fail. Her very life depends on it. Acclaimed Author And Historian Alison Weir Continues Her Epic Six Tudor Queens Series With This Third Captivating Novel, Which Brings To Life Jane Seymour, King Henry Viii's Most Cherished Bride And Mother Of His Only Legitimate Male Heir. Ever Since She Was A Child, Jane Has Longed For A Cloistered Life As A Nun. But Her Large Noble Family Has Other Plans, And As An Adult, Jane Is Invited To The King's Court To Serve As Lady-in-waiting To Queen Katherine Of Aragon. The Devout Katherine Shows Kindness To All Her Ladies, Almost Like A Second Mother, Which Makes Rumors Of Henry's Lustful Pursuit Of Anne Boleyn--also Lady-in-waiting To The Queen--all The More Shocking. For Jane, The Betrayal Triggers Memories Of A Hauntingl Incident That Shaped Her Beliefs About Marriage. But Once Henry Disavows Katherine And Secures Anne As His New Queen--forever Altering The Religious Landscape Of England--he Turns His Eye To Another: Jane Herself. Urged To Return The King's Affection And Earn Favor For Her Family, Jane Is Drawn Into A Dangerous Political Game That Pits Her Conscience Against Her Desires. Can Jane Be The One To Give The King His Long-sought-after Son, Or Will She Be Cast Aside Like The Women Who Came Before Her? Bringing New Insight To This Compelling Story, Alison Weir Marries Meticulous Research With Gripping Historical Fiction To Re-create The Dramas And Intrigues Of The Most Renowned Court In English History. At Its Center Is A Loving And Compassionate Woman Who Captures The Heart Of A King, And Whose Life Will Hang In The Balance For It. Praise For Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession A Stunning, Engaging, Comprehensive And Convincing Novel. Important, Page-turning Biographical Fiction, Hauntingly And Beautifully Told In First-person Narrative. Psychologically Penetrating And Packed With Wonderful, Vivid Scenes. [alison] Weir's Characterisation Is Superb.--historical Novels Review A Persuasive Attempt To Restore The Humanity Of A Tragic, Misrepresented Figure. Weir's Fictional Anne Is Ferociously Smart And Guilty Of Nothing But Craving The Power That's Rightfully Hers To Claim.--npr A Richly Detailed Rendering Of The Familiar Tudor Drama. Weir Brings Considerable Expertise To Her Portrait Of Anne As 'a Flawed But Very Human Heroine, A Woman Of Great Ambition, Idealism And Courage' [and] Vividly Depicts Court Life.--kirkus Reviews A Multifaceted Portrait Of An Ambitious Woman. Even Readers Who Know Anne's Story Well Should Gain Insights From This Revealing Novel.--booklist Well-written And Fast-paced. A Fresh Look At One Of The Period's Most Popular Protagonists.--library Journal--,a Novel About Jane Seymour, The Devout Young Woman Who Became The Unwilling Object Of King Henry Viii's Ardor--and The Mother Of His Only Son. In This Third Book In The Epic Six Tudor Queens Series, The Acclaimed Historian And Bestselling Author Brings New Insight To This Dramatic Story, Showing How Pure Fear For Her Life Determined Jane's Actions. 25-year-old Jane Seymour Wants Nothing More Than To Become A Nun. But Her Ambitious Father Has Forced Her To Live At Court As Lady-in-waiting To Queen Katherine Of Aragon, A Fellow-catholic Whom She Soon Comes To Love And Admire. So Jane Is Appalled When King Henry Shunts Katherine Aside In His Lustful Pursuit Of Anne Boleyn, But Even More So When He Takes Anne's Life In His Rush To Wed--jane Herself! Unwilling To Marry But Terrified To Resist Henry's Advances For Fear She Might Share Anne's Fate, And Propelled By Her Family, Jane Becomes Queen Of England A Mere Ten Days After Anne's Execution. She Knows She Must Produce A Male Heir Without Fail. Her Very Life Depends On It-- "Acclaimed author and historian Alison Weir continues her epic Six Tudor Queens series with this third captivating novel, which brings to life Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII's most cherished bride and mother of his only legitimate male heir. Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and as an adult, Jane is invited to the King's court to serve as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, almost like a second mother, which makes rumors of Henry's lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn--also lady-in-waiting to the queen--all the more shocking. For Jane, the betrayal triggers memories of a hauntingl incident that shaped her beliefs about marriage. But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures Anne as his new queen--forever altering the religious landscape of England--he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King's affection and earn favor for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires. Can Jane be the one to give the King his long-sought-after son, or will she be cast aside like the women who came before her? Bringing new insight to this compelling story, Alison Weir marries meticulous research with gripping historical fiction to re-create the dramas and intrigues of the most renowned court in English history. At its center is a loving and compassionate woman who captures the heart of a king, and whose life will hang in the balance for it. Praise for Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession "A stunning, engaging, comprehensive and convincing novel. important, page-turning biographical fiction, hauntingly and beautifully told in first-person narrative. psychologically penetrating and packed with wonderful, vivid scenes. [Alison] Weir's characterisation is superb."--Historical Novels Review "A persuasive attempt to restore the humanity of a tragic, misrepresented figure. Weir's fictional Anne is ferociously smart and guilty of nothing but craving the power that's rightfully hers to claim."--NPR "A richly detailed rendering of the familiar Tudor drama. Weir brings considerable expertise to her portrait of Anne as 'a flawed but very human heroine, a woman of great ambition, idealism and courage' [and] vividly depicts court life."--Kirkus Reviews "A multifaceted portrait of an ambitious woman. Even readers who know Anne's story well should gain insights from this revealing novel."--Booklist "Well-written and fast-paced. a fresh look at one of the period's most popular protagonists."--Library Journal"-- Provided by publisher Acclaimed author and historian Alison Weir continues her epic Six Tudor Queens series with this third captivating novel, which brings to life Jane Seymour, King Henry VIII's most cherished bride and mother of his only legitimate male heir. Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and as an adult, Jane is invited to the King's court to serve as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, almost like a second mother, which makes rumors of Henry's lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn—also lady-in-waiting to the queen—all the more shocking. For Jane, the betrayal triggers memories of a hauntingl incident that shaped her beliefs about marriage. But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures Anne as his new queen—forever altering the religious landscape of England—he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King's affection and earn favor for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires. Can Jane be the one to give the King his long-sought-after son, or will she be cast aside like the women who came before her? Bringing new insight to this compelling story, Alison Weir marries meticulous research with gripping historical fiction to re-create the dramas and intrigues of the most renowned court in English history. At its center is a loving and compassionate woman who captures the heart of a king, and whose life will hang in the balance for it. Praise for Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen "Highly recommended for fans of the period . . . As with the earlier novels in the Six Tudor Queens series . . . [Alison] Weir focuses tightly on the sole perspective of her protagonist, thereby finding enough relatively fresh territory to keep even die-hard Tudor buffs interested. A fascinating afterword sheds light on Weir's departures from the confirmed historical record and on the additional research she did for this novel, including an investigation of how exactly Jane died."—Library Journal (starred review) "Deft, authoritative biographical fiction . . . Weir offers a dramatic and empathic portrait of Jane Seymour."—Kirkus Reviews “A sumptuous historical novel anchored by its excellent depiction of Jane Seymour, Henry the VIII’s third queen . . . This is a must for all fans of Tudor fiction and history.”—Publishers Weekly Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and as an adult, Jane is invited to the King’s court to serve as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, almost like a second mother, which makes rumors of Henry’s lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn—also lady-in-waiting to the queen—all the more shocking. For Jane, the betrayal triggers memories of a haunting incident that shaped her beliefs about marriage. But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures Anne as his new queen—forever altering the religious landscape of England—he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King’s affection and earn favor for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires. Can Jane be the one to give the King his long-sought-after son, or will she be cast aside like the women who came before her? Bringing new insight to this compelling story, Alison Weir marries meticulous research with gripping historical fiction to re-create the dramas and intrigues of the most renowned court in English history. At its center is a loving and compassionate woman who captures the heart of a king, and whose life will hang in the balance for it. Praise for Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen “Bestselling [Alison] Weir’s impressive novel shows why Jane deserves renewed attention [and] illustrates Jane’s unlikely journey from country knight’s daughter to queen of England. . . . From the richly appointed decor to the religious tenor of the time, the historical ambience is first-rate.”—Booklist (starred review) “Deft, authoritative biographical fiction . . . a dramatic and empathic portrait of Jane Seymour.”—Kirkus Reviews “A sumptuous historical novel anchored by its excellent depiction of Jane Seymour, Henry the VIII’s third queen . . . This is a must for all fans of Tudor fiction and history.”— Publishers Weekly Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and as an adult, Jane is invited to the King’s court to serve as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, almost like a second mother, which makes rumors of Henry’s lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn—also lady-in-waiting to the queen—all the more shocking. For Jane, the betrayal triggers memories of a haunting incident that shaped her beliefs about marriage. But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures Anne as his new queen—forever altering the religious landscape of England—he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King’s affection and earn favor for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires. Can Jane be the one to give the King his long-sought-after son, or will she be cast aside like the women who came before her? Bringing new insight to this compelling story, Alison Weir marries meticulous research with gripping historical fiction to re-create the dramas and intrigues of the most renowned court in English history. At its center is a loving and compassionate woman who captures the heart of a king, and whose life will hang in the balance for it. Praise for Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen “Bestselling [Alison] Weir’s impressive novel shows why Jane deserves renewed attention [and] illustrates Jane’s unlikely journey from country knight’s daughter to queen of England. . . . From the richly appointed decor to the religious tenor of the time, the historical ambience is first-rate.” — Booklist (starred review) “Deft, authoritative biographical fiction . . . a dramatic and empathic portrait of Jane Seymour.” — Kirkus Reviews "A novel about Jane Seymour, the devout young woman who became the unwilling object of King Henry VIII's ardor--and the mother of his only son. In this third book in the epic Six Tudor Queens series, the acclaimed historian and bestselling author brings new insight to this dramatic story, showing how pure fear for her life determined Jane's actions. 25-year-old Jane Seymour wants nothing more than to become a nun. But her ambitious father has forced her to live at court as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon, a fellow-Catholic whom she soon comes to love and admire. So Jane is appalled when King Henry shunts Katherine aside in his lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn, but even more so when he takes Anne's life in his rush to wed--Jane herself! Unwilling to marry but terrified to resist Henry's advances for fear she might share Anne's fate, and propelled by her family, Jane becomes Queen of England a mere ten days after Anne's execution. She knows she must produce a male heir without fail. Her very life depends on it"-- Provided by publisher